Xenosaga Episode III: Also sprach Zarathustra

 PlayStation 2
User Score
9.0

Universal acclaim- based on 117 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 104 out of 117
  2. Mixed: 7 out of 117
  3. Negative: 6 out of 117
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  1. JackieS.
    Oct 4, 2006
    10
    Love at first sight. This game is great and the story line is awsome! The characters new looks are great and the battle system was perfect. Best game ever!
  2. f_type
    Aug 22, 2011
    9
    Wow, what a great conclusion to the trilogy. I found the first two games somewhat disappointing but it seems the abrupt end to the planned six game saga was for the best. The story and characters finally come out at full force... everything is finally revealed and you will be in for many surprises! The confusing events from the previous games will come to fruition and you will see aWow, what a great conclusion to the trilogy. I found the first two games somewhat disappointing but it seems the abrupt end to the planned six game saga was for the best. The story and characters finally come out at full force... everything is finally revealed and you will be in for many surprises! The confusing events from the previous games will come to fruition and you will see a fantastic closure to the series (and the datebase is back and better than ever!). Gameplay has been vastly improved and no longer feels tedious. The combat system is very fun and streamlines the cumbersome aspects from the previous games and provides a steady level of challenge. This is the best looking game in the series and the music and voice acting are all fantastic. Unfortunately, after finishing, you'll get the feeling that because the series was shortened to half of what was originally planned, they've had to make a lot of cuts and adjustments. But still, the game was a worthy finale and one of the best PS2 RPGs.… Expand
  3. Boltfrowah
    Mar 4, 2013
    5
    This series was one of the few games that I've ever actually felt was damn near a "2nd job". Slogging through the 3 games was something that I never knew I was going to end up doing when I played the first one. Constantly mired in endless cutscenes and cinematics, it almost felt like I was more of playing a mini-game during a very preachy, self-absorbed story line. The constant referencesThis series was one of the few games that I've ever actually felt was damn near a "2nd job". Slogging through the 3 games was something that I never knew I was going to end up doing when I played the first one. Constantly mired in endless cutscenes and cinematics, it almost felt like I was more of playing a mini-game during a very preachy, self-absorbed story line. The constant references to philosophy and such doesn't make a game "smart", it makes it pretentious at best. This all combined with a nerfy combat system just didn't do it for me. Yes, Kos-Mos is an awesome character, but even her attacks left me wanting more.… Expand
  4. yukiyoung
    Mar 22, 2015
    10
    This is right under Xenosaga 1 as the second best in the series, the improved battle style was a very fun part of the game and it drastically improved upon the battle style of Xenosaga 2.
  5. Serenityinaz12
    May 28, 2015
    10
    This and Xenogears have the most deep and intricate plot lines I have every experienced in a video game, and I have played pretty much every game that is known for having a good story. Couldn't recommend more. Excellent end to the series
  6. J.A.
    Oct 9, 2006
    10
    The most brilliant story of all time.
  7. AlbertC.
    Oct 6, 2006
    10
    After playing the downer that was Episode II, Xenosaga III has surpassed even the most optimistic of my expectations. The final installment is one of the best RPGs, EVER. The story has finally come to fruition. The storyline unfurls like a sci-fi epic with mind-blowing twists and bends; Anyone who has ever played Xenogears, the brilliance of Tetsuya Takahashi finally shines. And Xenosaga After playing the downer that was Episode II, Xenosaga III has surpassed even the most optimistic of my expectations. The final installment is one of the best RPGs, EVER. The story has finally come to fruition. The storyline unfurls like a sci-fi epic with mind-blowing twists and bends; Anyone who has ever played Xenogears, the brilliance of Tetsuya Takahashi finally shines. And Xenosaga tops Xenogears in the way of cut scenes, which evokes feelings from all over the spectrum to the viewer. Fear, sadness, anger, love. Need I say more? This game is a masterpiece.… Expand
  8. EmmanuelT.
    Sep 22, 2006
    10
    One of the best storylines ever! Here's hoping to see the gang once again. Finally, the database feature helps you understand the story even further, this game wants you to immerse yourself in the development of the series, it does what rarely any game out there does is to give a surprising story.
  9. DanA.
    Sep 8, 2006
    10
    I don't see how anyone could rate this under an 8. If you say gameplay, doesn't every game have "gameplay" flaws? One of the best storylines ever.
  10. BarnabasS.
    Jan 11, 2007
    10
    The best RPG that I have ever played, and that includes every Final Fantasy. Pilot giant mechanical robots and take them into battle. Uncover an epic plot that is filled with physics, philosoply, literature, and psychologicy themes.
  11. IraM.
    Oct 23, 2006
    10
    The best story of any game I have played, that includes just about every Final Fantasy. The mech graphics and fighting are beyond anything I've ever seen in video games. The best interpertation of the Christion religon, science and philosophy by a video game ever! Ranks up there with 2001: A Space Odyssey! Only complaint is too much to read in one game. Kos-Mos is my favorite video The best story of any game I have played, that includes just about every Final Fantasy. The mech graphics and fighting are beyond anything I've ever seen in video games. The best interpertation of the Christion religon, science and philosophy by a video game ever! Ranks up there with 2001: A Space Odyssey! Only complaint is too much to read in one game. Kos-Mos is my favorite video game character, ever! Erde Kaiser Sigma!… Expand
  12. AnsonG.
    Oct 7, 2006
    10
    Finaly, Xenosaga 3, has come to the end, this what we waiting for. This might take awhile, so you probably wanna eat lunch. Overall, there really isnt anything wrong with this game. The story is excellent, and the battles are much easier. Plus, load times have been reduced substabtially. If u re an RPG buff who thinks story is main reason to play a game, then sure buy this one. Trust me, Finaly, Xenosaga 3, has come to the end, this what we waiting for. This might take awhile, so you probably wanna eat lunch. Overall, there really isnt anything wrong with this game. The story is excellent, and the battles are much easier. Plus, load times have been reduced substabtially. If u re an RPG buff who thinks story is main reason to play a game, then sure buy this one. Trust me, you be glad you did.… Expand
  13. MoboTobo
    Sep 3, 2006
    10
    This game is fraggin good.
  14. AkeemGumbs
    Jul 17, 2009
    10
    The movie scenes,characters and battle system of xenosaga three are a lot more realistic than those of episode one and two.Even though this game does not support surround sound like xenosaga epsode two the audio department of this game is still great,sometimes stereo is better because audio that is recorded in surround sound can sound really artificial ayway.Anyone who knows xenosaa canThe movie scenes,characters and battle system of xenosaga three are a lot more realistic than those of episode one and two.Even though this game does not support surround sound like xenosaga epsode two the audio department of this game is still great,sometimes stereo is better because audio that is recorded in surround sound can sound really artificial ayway.Anyone who knows xenosaa can tell that the audio has changed because voices of the characters sounds live and raw, wich is very good for a change anyway.The graphics of the game are dull and there are a lot of people that despise dull graphics but I think that dull graphics are great because they often create a nice realistic atmosphere that makes a game feel like it's taking place in the very present or the past also I really like to see the way the speed of the camera and the motion of the characters slowain parts of a movie sequence because I think it adds tension and drama.Three other excellent games that Ireco that have great dull graphics are Chaos Legion and KillZone and Resident Evil 4.One of the most exciting and unique things about the xenosaga series is that you can look foward to seeing different character models with each new game because appearence of the characters change with each game, not because the characters have aged but for other reasons.There is one special thing that xenosaga episode three has that should have been in the other xenosaga games is the swimsuit mode because it allows you to watch movie scenes with the characters in there swimsuits but for some reason not all of the movie scenes in xenosaga 3 can be viewed in swimsuit mode,I guess it would have made the movie less serious or something.My favorite movie scenes in xenosaga are blue testament,white testament,KOSMOS verses Black Testament,any movie with Luis Virgil becaus ehe is my favorite character in the game because he's passionate and i don't think that he is a bad guy since he was able to brek free from being a testament and the only real reasons why he became a testament was because he wanted to be able to visit that old church on miltia and to gain power to prevent death.I also love Luis Virgil and all of the movie scenes that he appear in becaus they are very dramatic.The best thing about the xenosaga series is thst the story is very dee, interesting ,and shocking and anyone who has played the game in order from episode one through three will definitely say the same thing.There is no doubt that anyone who has completed episode one and two will be stunned when every secret and mystery is unraveled in episode three.The one thing that I can't seem to under stand is why do some of the characters have to travel back to the earth in the end,will shion and the gang make it back to earth or will there descendants finish the mission and find earth in the end,Chaos and Nephilim told the group that the key to saving humanity lies on earth,what I want to know is what is it and how will it be used to save the universe,Even in the end new mysteries arose and remained unraveled.If there is any one outher who has has the awnswer to any of these questions please let me know when you write you're review or else there has just got to be a xenosaga four on the way,(crying)they just can't leave the story end this way.The only thing that dissapointed me about the game at first was the battle system because on the back of the case of xenosaga three said that the best aspect of the previous battles systems from episode one were combined to form a new battle system ,If namco had really done this Xenosaga episode three would have had a better battle system in my opinion because I belive that the best aspect of xenosaga episode one were the special atacks wich are better than the those of episode three and the best aspect of episode three as the break system wich was also better than those of episode three.I think that namco should have given xenosaga episode 3 the battle system of episode 2 combined episode ones style of special attack,but doing this would have probably made the battle system of xenosaga episode three boring because the same old tactics would have to be used in a new game and the battle system most likely would not be as realistic as it is but it would probably be cooler.However the ability to summon all four Erde Kaisers including the new Erde Kasier Sgma my most favorite summon in the world at will and use new Ether and Tech attacks along with the new Counter and Revenge abilities gave xenosaaga episode three more than boost that it needed to have an descent battle systemThe E.S battle system of xenosaga episode 3 is way more better than those of episod one and two though ,I must say that Namco really outdid themselves with the E.S battle system of xenosaga episode because the other E.S battle system from the two previos games weren't good,luckily they made up for it with the character battle system.In episode one I never really wanted to use anA.G.W.S,lucky for me they were optional but in episode two sadly it is manatory that you pilot an E.S to progress in the game in Episode three you piloting an E.S is also mandatory to progress in the game but the difference between the three episode is that will be sorry in episode three you will ge glad that you are using an E.S because their battle system is extremely cool.Xenosaga is most definitely one of the besrt RPG games in the world andit is far more better than any final fantasy game that Square Enix has ever made but for some reason it still score lower than Some Final Fantasy and other Sqare Enix games on this site.I bet that if xenosaga was actually named Final Fantasy and had a subtitle it and if it wre made by sqare Enix it would have probably been more famous and it would have scored higher even though it is still the same gameIn the end with every thing being written said and done all i can say is that I feel more at peace now that I have defended this underated game.All I have to say now is that TURN BASED GAMES RULE !and I hope and prey that there will be a xenosaga four someday, hopeully that too will be turn based and Thanks to every one at Namco for making all xenosaga games exist and keep up the good work. All of these xenosaga games just deserve a friggin emmy.… Expand
  15. WilliamR.
    Nov 21, 2006
    10
    This is the best game in the world! Anyone who's anyone should buy this game. The story is deep, and the battle style is awesome!
  16. RecoveryRx
    Jan 20, 2012
    10
    The most emotionally captivating game I've ever played - never cried before in a video game, not even close. But this game........yeah............glad I was alone. hahaha. Just an overall fun game and it tied up all loose ends well. Man, was sad when this was over - Xenosaga is such a great story ride.
  17. iKen
    Apr 12, 2020
    9
    Played on PlayStation 2.
    Gameplay: GREAT.
    Story: GREAT.
    Graphic: GREAT.
    Music/Sound: GREAT.
    Voice Acting: GOOD.
  18. Daweeed
    Oct 1, 2018
    10
    Very good " closed episode "..
    love the 2nd episode too.. but this better... great grapich, caracters, dramatic secence, epic story.. and the last fight... one of the greatest game n jrpg ever !!!
    Xenosaga forever
  19. Cosmokeeper
    Oct 25, 2020
    10
    Xenosaga Episode III: Also Sprach Zarathustra is a game that changed my view on life and gave me such deep insights and emotional moments that I never could have dreamed of before I experienced this game back in 2008, two years after its release.

    The Xenosaga series by Monolith Soft, although cut short by Bandai Namco from six to three games, still managed to create one of the most    Xenosaga Episode III: Also Sprach Zarathustra is a game that changed my view on life and gave me such deep insights and emotional moments that I never could have dreamed of before I experienced this game back in 2008, two years after its release.

    The Xenosaga series by Monolith Soft, although cut short by Bandai Namco from six to three games, still managed to create one of the most compelling, emotional, philosophical and psychological experiences ever made.

    The first game set the epic story in motion, the second game built upon those foundations even though it's sadly the weakest in the series from a gameplay perspective and the third game used everything that Tetsuya Takahashi and his awesome team at Monolith Soft had created and turned it into a tour de force without equal. The amount of depth distilled into Xenosaga Episode III is basically unrivaled in so many ways. It has the gameplay chops to compete with the best turn-based battle systems out there, it has the environments and exploration possibilities that make it feel like a big universe even though its linear in nature (which is a good thing because not every game needs to be open world), and as I said before it has an emotional, philosophical and psychological depth anchored in real-life works and musings of Friedrich Nietzsche, Carl Jung and other great thinkers as well as so much original content filling the game to the brim with creativity, character development and a culminating story that's nothing short of a masterpiece.

    Everyone in the world should experience the Xenosaga games and absorb their themes and messages. If they had, I can promise you that the world would be a much better place with more humble people that would care about nature, animals and each other and think more before they act and act better and with more sound judgement based in equal parts reason and emotion.

    The Xenosaga series and especially Episode III has its place among the best works of art ever created and is a timeless journey of self-discovery and wonder that will forever be with me and should be with you as well ;)    … Expand
  20. SaberHazari
    Nov 23, 2021
    10
    One of my most favourite games of all time. This game totally does justice to the xenosaga series.
  21. EasyGamerBoi
    Aug 17, 2023
    9
    This game is exactly why the Xeno series became my favorite video game franchise in the world. This is truly one of the best RPGs & games in general I’ve ever played, if it came out this year it would undoubtedly be my GOTY. It was SO worth the $200 scalper price on eBay! After the lackluster Ep I & step in the right direction of Ep II, this game knocked nearly every single aspect of thoseThis game is exactly why the Xeno series became my favorite video game franchise in the world. This is truly one of the best RPGs & games in general I’ve ever played, if it came out this year it would undoubtedly be my GOTY. It was SO worth the $200 scalper price on eBay! After the lackluster Ep I & step in the right direction of Ep II, this game knocked nearly every single aspect of those two games out of the park & then some! I finished it a month ago & I still think about it every single day. I truly haven’t been this obsessed with a game in a while. How this game didn’t get proper recognition back in its day & with time is a travesty & I’m going to do my best to spread word of this game. PLEASE play this however you can!
    The only big complaint I have with this game is the rehashing of the Miltian conflict that strangely takes up half of the game. I appreciated the new revelations & the gameplay section was still of high quality, but it definitely should have been shorter. The devs really had A LOT to wrap up with one final game instead of 3 more after it so it’s understandable. The beginning is a little bit slower than I personally liked & the religious stuff is kind of confusing occasionally. The game also suffers frequent & sometimes severe frame drops, maybe if there was an HD RE-RELEASE we could nix that issue Bamco.
    Everything else is so perfect. The soundtrack is GOD TIER. The graphics still look great to this day & would look even more incredible on modern platforms. The cutscene direction is immaculate, the voice acting is on point, all the emotional points hit like a truck. The story is so damn good. If you didn’t know about the development hell this series went though I don’t think you could tell in this entry, that’s how beautifully MonolithSoft crafted this game. The gameplay is the sharpest it’s ever been. Some fans complain that it’s been dumbed down but I really could care less. It’s so fun, I can’t remember the last time I went out of my way to get into fights in the endgame of an RPG! Usually I avoid late game fights like the plague. The E.S. fights are even better, they don’t have as many moving parts as normal battles but they’re still so much fun. Everything in this game is LIGHTNING FAST too, loading times are near non-existent, battle animations are mere seconds long, character movement is so quick that it makes it hard to go back to the last 2 games’ more sluggish pace. Makes you wonder what modern Pokémon’s excuse is for everything taking 5 years to do when a PS2 game loads things in a 16th of the time. All of the characters get their chance in the spotlight too, some more than others for sure, but rewatching cutscenes a month later still gets me in the feels for everybody.
    Xenosaga 3 is truly a triumph of a game & a journey that’s rarely found in games to this day. Just typing this review makes me want to pick it up and 100% it, then replay from the start again. I love the Xeno series so much man. And maybe after the ending tease of a certain recent DLC, we may hopefully be revisiting the Xenosaga series again after all these years… Nothing would make me happier. PEAK FICTION!    … Expand
  22. Sormon
    Jul 5, 2021
    9
    Xenosaga 3 goes to show why 3rd time is the charm as it is leagues better that the previous two games. Graphically this game looks incredible and gameplay wise we now have an actually functional game and not an interactive movie like the previous 2 games. Both foot and ES battles are fast and fun to play and the music by Yuki Kajiura has gone on to be one of my favorite soundtacks of allXenosaga 3 goes to show why 3rd time is the charm as it is leagues better that the previous two games. Graphically this game looks incredible and gameplay wise we now have an actually functional game and not an interactive movie like the previous 2 games. Both foot and ES battles are fast and fun to play and the music by Yuki Kajiura has gone on to be one of my favorite soundtacks of all time (shame she's never done a game score since). Its an utter shame that this game came out dead on arrival due to the previous underwhelming entries as now this incredible game is near impossible to find.… Expand
  23. DarkwingSchmuck
    Jul 28, 2023
    8
    After two disappointing games, Xenosaga went out on a high note with Episode III. The strongest game in the Xenosaga trilogy, Episode III left nothing on the table, even if it still suffers a bit from the same issues as its predecessors -- holding it back from reaching the lofty heights of Xenogears, or even the heights of the series that would follow in Xenoblade.
  24. wesker3407
    Aug 29, 2022
    10
    A rare and underrated gem of a game, Xenosaga lives on through Xenoblade and is still considered to be apart of the series by Monolith Soft despite being owned by Namco.
  25. Ghonf
    Apr 7, 2023
    10
    This is a masterpiece, the best looking Ps2 game, a wonderful conclusion to Shions arc and just overall great. I hope one day this story will get continued and finished, I just love this game to death. You should play the other 2 games, just to get to this game!
  26. Irelia
    May 16, 2023
    10
    Este sin dudas a mi gusto personal ha sido uno de los mejores juegos que pude disfrutar con un final más que perfecto para terminar la trilogía! Falta un remake aunque dudo que eso pase.

Awards & Rankings

24
#24 Best PS2 Game of 2006
26
#26 Most Discussed PS2 Game of 2006
60
#60 Most Shared PS2 Game of 2006

Critic Reviews

All reviews »
Metascore
81

Generally favorable reviews - based on 34 Critic Reviews

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 28 out of 34
  2. Mixed: 6 out of 34
  3. Negative: 0 out of 34
  1. GamingExcellence
    81
    Considering that Namco Bandai Games and Monolith Soft originally intended Xenosaga to be a six-part story, this third and final episode manages to efficiently cap the vast majority of unanswered questions and plotlines from the first and second games.
    Read full review
  2. GameBrink
    95
    While these days many RPGs are attempting to change the old-school formula and divorce themselves from traditional RPG lineage, XS EP3 stays true to the formula but through fantastic dungeons, two great and very different battle systems, and a fast-paced 30 hour adventure that’s lacking in filler (so you basically get the same story that’d be in a 60-70 hour normal RPG with random filler plots), it creates a game that’s every bit as fresh as the best non-traditional RPGs. [JPN Import]
    Read full review
  3. Game Informer
    85
    Xenosaga Episode III has many more successes than failures. But taken in context with the trilogy as a whole, Episode III is the worthy conclusion to an epic that I hadn't dared hope it could be. [Sept. 2006, p.90]
See all critic reviews »